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Feds bust 8 gang members who bragged on Facebook, Twitter

They called themselves the Band Crew – brazen street gang members who formed their enterprise at a Burger King, owned machine guns, sold drugs, robbed kids walking home from school and tried to kill people, authorities say.

And they bragged about it all on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, records show.

But the feds were watching.

In a 28-page indictment unsealed today, the federal government offers a detailed account about how it dismantled a violent gang that for years terrorized northwest Detroit, arresting eight key players whose street nicknames included Trick, Bam and Gwopp.

Band Crew, which included juveniles, was composed of smaller gangs, including: Young N Crispy, Constantly Making Hundreds – formerly known as Cash Money Hoes – and FOE Life, which stands for Family Over Everything Love is Forever.

According to the indictment, Band Crew was formed in November 2011 during a meeting at a Burger King at Seven Mile and Greenfield Road. Criminal activity quickly followed: gas station robberies, home invasions, shootings, assaults and attempted murders.

For years, witnesses and victims kept quiet because gang members regularly intimidated them to hush them up, the indictment said.

But the gang left an electronic trail of evidence on social networking sites, records show. And the authorities eventually caught up with eight of the members.

Charged in the indictment are:

Corey Deandre Mapp, 22, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy, use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.

Alexander Teontae Johnson, 20, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy.

Leo James Johnson, 20, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and possession of a stolen firearm.

Joseph Hezekiah Ford, 19, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy.

Travontae Javon Joseph, 19, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and possession of a stolen firearm.

Jamell Loval Smith, 19, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy.

Mario Perkins, 18, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy, use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and conspiracy to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.

Akeem Arteaze Walker, 19, of Detroit, who is charged with RICO conspiracy, use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering.

All of the defendants are in custody.

The charges are the result of the Detroit One initiative, a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the community to reduce violent crime in Detroit, said the U.S. Attorneys office.